An Empress and a Duchess headed out to events this week wearing shades of blue and pearls. This is not the setup for a joke, but the reality.
Empress Masako
On Wednesday, Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako attended the Japan Prize presentation ceremony, which included winners for 2020 and 2021. The prize recognizes individuals who have obtained outstanding achievements in science and technology. The Empress wore a long blue gown with a jacket and a three-strand pearl necklace with two diagonal diamond insets. She also wore a pair of pearl “dangler” earrings.
I’m not sure of the provenance of the three-strand necklace, but it may have been one of the pieces passed from Empress Michiko to Empress Masako. It’s equally likely to come from Masako’s own collection.
Duchess of Cornwall
The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall attended the Royal Maundy Service as representatives of the Queen. It is a holy day that falls on the Thursday before Easter. It has been the Queen’s tradition to offer ‘alms’ to senior citizens and the Prince and the Duchess continued the practice.
Camilla wore a bold blue and white striped Oldfield dress, with a Philip Treacy sheer brimmed navy hat trimmed in white. She wore her four-strand pearl necklace with a small diamond clasp and a pair of pearl earrings. She finished it off with pair of spectator pumps. (For more on the hat, see Royal Hats).
How you answer our poll will likely depend on the level of your personal pearl fandom.